Mini-projector and detachable signal connector thereof

ABSTRACT

A mini-projector and detachable signal connector thereof are provided. The mini-projector applied to an electronic device comprises a projecting main body and a detachable signal connector. The detachable signal connector has at least a connecting unit. The connecting unit is electrically connected to the electronic device and transmits an image signal from the electronic device to the projecting main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to a mini-projector, and moreparticularly to a mini-projector with a detachable signal connector.

2. Description of the Related Art

Humanization technology is identified as a key factor in the presenttrend of technology. Emphasis of electronic product design is placed onminiaturization, light weight, multifunction and simplification whichplay important roles in the market. The projector industry iscontinuously seeking quality improvement, such as better lumen andhigher resolution. Furthermore, miniaturization is also an importantfeature that the projector industry wanting to achieve.

Nowadays, miniaturized projectors are divided into two types, integratedprojectors and pocket-size projectors. The integrated projector is tointegrate the protector into another electronic device, such as a mobilephone or a laptop computer. The pocket-size projector is to miniaturizethe projector as an independent device, such as a palm-size projector.However, in both types of miniaturized projectors, the connectionsupport of the image signal and the connecting module thereof occupyconsiderable space in the projector, which limits the miniaturization ofthe projector. Therefore, it is very important to solve the aboveproblem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a mini-projector and a detachable signalconnector thereof. Through the detachable signal connector, theprojector is separated into a projecting main body and a signalconnector. The projecting main body projects images only according toimage signals. Therefore, the miniaturization of the projecting mainbody is not limited to the connection support of the image signals andthe connecting module thereof. The size of the projector can becontinuously reduced along with the advance of technology.

According to the present invention, a mini-projector is provided. Themini-projector is applied in an electronic device. The mini-projectorincludes a projecting main body and a detachable signal connector. Thedetachable signal connector has at least a connecting unit electricallyconnected to the electronic device and transmitting an image signal fromthe electronic device to the projecting main body.

According to the present invention, a detachable signal connector isprovided. The signal connector is applied in a mini-projector. Thesignal connector includes a first video format interface, a transformingunit and a second video format interface. The first image video formatinterface is for receiving a first video format signal from anelectronic device. The transforming unit is electrically connected tothe first video format interface and for transforming the first videoformat signal to a second video format signal. The second video formatinterface is electrically connected to the transforming unit foroutputting the second video format signal to a projecting main body ofthe mini-projector.

The invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The followingdescription is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a function block diagram of a mini-projector according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a projecting main body directly combined with asignal connector;

FIG. 3 illustrates the projecting main body connecting with the signalconnector through an external communication line;

FIG. 4 illustrates the projecting main body connecting with the signalconnector through an internal communication line;

FIG. 5 illustrates the projecting main body connecting with the signalconnector through wireless communication;

FIG. 6 illustrates the mini-projector with a audio-video decoder; and

FIG. 7 is a function block diagram of the detachable signal connectoraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please referring to FIG. 1, a function block diagram of a mini-projectoraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the mini-projector 200 isapplied in an electronic device 100 for example. The electronic device100 can be any type of portable electronic device, such as a laptopcomputer, a palm game player, a digital camera, a mobile phone, apersonal digital assistant (PDA) or a portable media player. Themini-projector 200 includes a signal connector 210 and a projecting mainbody 220. The signal connector 210 includes at least a connecting unit211 and a transmitting unit 213. The projecting main body 220 includes areceiving unit 221 and a projecting unit 223.

In FIG. 1, the connecting unit 211 of the signal connector 210 iselectrically connected to the electronic device 100 and for receiving animage signal S from the electronic device 100. The image signal S istransmitted through wired or wireless communication. When the imagesignal is transmitted through wired communication, the mini-projector200 further includes a communication line for connecting the connectingunit 211 of the signal connector 210 and the electronic device 100 fortransmitting the image signal S.

For example, the electronic device 100 preferably includes at least animage output interface. The image output interface in the wiredcommunication is commonly a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI),a digital visual interface (DVI), a D-subminiature (D-sub), a VGAinterface, an S-terminal, a RCA terminal, a 3RCA terminal or an opticalfiber interface. When the image signals are transmitted on wirelesscommunication, the electronic device 100 is commonly configured with awireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth module, a near fieldcommunication (NFC) module or an ultra wide band (UWB) communicationmodule.

Therefore, a corresponding (image) input interface is needed to transmit(image) signals from the electronic device 100 to the connecting unit211 of the signal connector 210. In the present embodiment, the signalconnector 210 can include several connecting units 211 (that is, severaldifferent types of image input interfaces). Or, the signal connector 210includes only one connecting unit 211 (that is, only one image inputinterface) for connecting with the corresponding (image) outputinterface of the electronic device 100. The user only has to select thesignal connector corresponding to the (image) output interface of theelectronic device 100 for transmitting (image) signals.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the connecting unit 211 ofthe signal connector 210 includes a HDMI, a DVI, a D-sub, a VGAinterface, an S terminal interface, a RCA terminal, a 3RCA terminal oran optical fiber interface. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto. Or, the connecting unit 211 of the signal connector 210includes a wireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth module, aNFC module or a UWB module. Similarly, the present invention is notlimited thereto.

In FIG. 1, after the connecting unit 211 receives the image signal S ofthe electronic device 100, the connecting unit 211 transmits the imagesignal S to the transmitting unit 213. The image signal S received fromthe electronic device 100 may be not compatible with the projecting mainbody 220. Therefore, the signal connector 210 may possess the functionof converting different image formats to a playable format of theprojecting main body 220. However, there are many different ways toconvert image formats. The present invention is not limited to aspecific method and the device thereof. The device for converting theimage formats is not described for simplifying the specification andclarifying the present invention.

Later, the transmitting unit 213 transmits the image signal S to thereceiving unit 221 of the projecting main body 220. Thereon, thereceiving unit 221 of the projecting main body 220 receives the imagesignal S, and the projecting unit 223 of the projecting main body 220projects an image P according to the image signal S.

The signal connector 210 in FIG. 1 is a detachable signal connector.Therefore, signals can be transmitted through wired or wirelesscommunication between the transmitting unit 213 of the signal connector210 and the receiving unit 221 of the projecting main body 220.

Please refer to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates theprojecting main body directly combined with the signal connector. In anexample of the present embodiment, the receiving unit 221 of theprojecting main body 220 preferably includes a plug 221 a, and thetransmitting unit 213 of the signal connector 210 preferably includes asocket 213 a. The projecting main body 220 and the signal connector 210are electrically connected via the combination of the socket 213 a andthe plug 221 a for transmitting signals.

Alternatively, the receiving unit 221 of the projecting main body 220preferably includes a socket, and the transmitting unit 213 of thesignal connector 210 preferably includes a plug. Similarly, theprojecting main body 220 and the signal connector 210 are electricallyconnected via the combination of the socket and the plug.

Please refer to both. FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates theprojecting main body connecting with the signal connector through anexternal communication line. In another example of the presentembodiment, the mini-projector preferably further includes acommunication line SL as shown in FIG. 4. The receiving unit 221 of theprojecting main body 220 and the transmitting unit 213 of the signalconnector 210 are connected through the communication line SL. Two endsof the communication line SL are respectively a socket and a plug forrespectively connecting with the plug 221 a of the receiving unit 221and the socket 213 a of the transmitting unit 213. Alternatively, thecommunication line SL can be for connecting the socket of the receivingunit 221 and the plug of the transmitting unit 213.

Please refer to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates theprojecting main body connecting with the signal connector through aninternal communication line. In the present embodiment, FIG. 4 issimilar to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The difference is in the disposition ofthe communication line SL. For example, the communication line SL inFIG. 4 is disposed in the signal connector 210 and the projector mainbody 220 and includes a reel for line storage. When the signal connector210 and the projecting main body 220 are directly connected, thecommunication line SL is stored in the signal connector 210 or theprojecting main body 220. When the signal connector 210 needs to beseparated from the projecting main body 220, only the directly connectedstructure needs to be detached for pulling out the stored communicationline SL. There is no need to perform other connecting steps. In thepresent embodiment, direct connection is illustrated by using a plug anda socket as an example. However, the present invention is not limitedthereto. Direct connection can be achieved through other kinds ofconnecting structures, such as buckles, locks, or engagement devices.

Please refer to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates theprojecting main body connected with the signal connector throughwireless communication. In yet another example of the presentembodiment, the receiving unit 221 of the projecting main body 220includes a wireless communication module WL1, and the transmitting unit213 of the signal connector 210 includes another wireless communicationmodule WL2 as shown in FIG. 5. Signals are transmitted between theprojecting main body 220 and the signal connector 210 through thewireless communication modules WL1 and WL2. Preferably, the wirelesscommunication modules WLl and WL2 are Bluetooth modules, near fieldcommunication (NFC) modules or ultra wideband (UWB) modules. However,the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, theprojecting main body 220 can be disposed freely on any location suitablefor projecting images.

Please refer to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 6. FIG. 6 illustrates themini-projector with an audio-video decoder. In the present embodiment,the signal connector 210 further includes the audio-video decoder 215for example. The connecting unit 211 of the signal connector 210preferably includes a memory socket 211 a for connecting with a memorycard (not shown in the drawings). The audio-video decoder 215 is forreading an audio-video data in the memory card to generate anaudio-video signal which is playable by the projecting main body 220.The signal connector 210 connects with the projecting main body 220through direct combination, wired communication or wirelesscommunication for projecting images.

As stated above, the user can select the signal connector correspondingto the transmission interface of the electronic device 100. Also, theuser can place the detachable signal connector and the projecting mainbody according to the arrangement of the surroundings. Therefore, it ismuch more convenient to use the mini-projector. Furthermore, through thedetachable design, the projecting main body does not need to have thefunction to convert image formats. Accordingly, the miniaturization ofthe projecting main body is not limited to the connection support of theimage signals. The size of the projector main body can be continuouslyreduced along with the advance of technology.

The detachable connector 210 in FIG. 1 is further described withreference to FIG. 7. Please refer to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a function blockdiagram of the detachable signal connector according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the detachablesignal connector 310 includes a first video format interface 311, atransforming unit 312 and a second video format interface 313.

In FIG. 7, the signal connector 310 is similar to the signal connector210 in FIG. 1. The difference is that the signal connector 310 has thefunction of converting image formats. The first video format interface311 corresponds to the connecting unit 211 in FIG. 1. The second videoformat interface 313 corresponds to the transmitting unit 213 in FIG. 1.The transforming unit 312 is the device to convert video formats, forconverting the first video format signal S1 to a second video formatsignal S2. The first video format signal S1 is the video signal of theelectronic device. For example, the first video format signal S1 is avideo signal of a HDMI, a DVI, a VGA, a S-terminal, a RCA, a 3RCA, anoptical fiber interface, etc. The second video format signal S2 is avideo format signal which is playable on the projecting main body 220.

Meanwhile, the signal connector 210 can include several connecting units211 (that is, different video input interfaces). Or, the signalconnector 210 includes only one connecting unit 211 (that is, only onevideo input interface). Therefore, the signal connector 310 in FIG. 7can include several first video format interfaces 311 and severaltransforming units 312 corresponding to the first video formatinterfaces 311, for converting the first video format signal S1 of thefirst video format interface to the second video format signal S2.

Besides, the first video format interface 311 is for receiving the firstvideo format signal SI of the electronic device (such as the electronicdevice 100 in FIG. 1). The signal connection is similar to theconnection between the connecting unit 211 and the electronic device 100in FIG. 1 and therefore not described repeatedly. The second videoformat interface 313 is electrically connected to the transforming unit312 for outputting the second video format signal S2 to the projectingmain body of the mini-projector (such as the projecting main body 220 ofthe mini-projector 200 in FIG. 1). The signal connection is similar tothe connection between the transmitting unit 213 and the projecting mainbody 220 in FIG. 1 and therefore not described repeatedly.

Generally speaking, in the above embodiment, the electronic device 100is connected with the detachable connector 210 or 310 through wired orwireless communication. Then, the video signal S is transmitted to theprojecting main body 220 through direct combination, wired communicationor wireless communication, for projecting images.

In the mini-projector according to the above embodiment of the presentinvention, the projector is divided into the projecting main body andthe signal connector through the detachable signal connector. Theprojecting main body projects images only according to the signals anddoes not need to have the function of converting video formats.Therefore, the miniaturization of the projecting main body is notlimited to the connection support of image signals and the connectingmodule thereof. The size of the projector can be reduced continuouslyalong with the advance of technology. Also, signals can be transmittedbetween the signal connector and the projecting main body through thecommunication line or wireless communication module. As a result,practicality and convenience of the mini-projector are increasedgreatly.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofa preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope ofthe appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similararrangements and procedures.

1. A mini-projector applied in an electronic device, the mini-projectorcomprising: a projecting main body; and a detachable signal connectorhaving at least a connecting unit, the connecting unit beingelectrically connected to the electronic device and transmitting animage signal from the electronic device to the projecting main body. 2.The mini-projector according to claim 1, wherein the projecting mainbody comprises a receiving unit and a projecting unit, the receivingunit is for receiving the image signal, and the projecting unit is forprojecting the image according to the image signal.
 3. Themini-projector according to claim 2, wherein the signal connectorfurther comprises a transmitting unit, which transmits the image signalto the receiving unit of the projecting main body.
 4. The mini-projectoraccording to claim 3, wherein the receiving unit of the projecting mainbody comprises a socket, the transmitting unit of the signal connectorcomprises a plug, and the projecting main body and the signal connectorare electrically connected via the combination of the socket and theplug.
 5. The mini-projector according to claim 3, wherein thetransmitting unit of the signal connector comprises a socket, thereceiving unit of the projecting main body comprises a plug, and theprojecting main body and the signal connector are electrically connectedvia the combination of the socket and the plug.
 6. The mini-projectoraccording to claim 3, further comprising: a communication line,connecting the receiving unit of the projecting main body and thetransmitting unit of the signal connector.
 7. The mini-projectoraccording to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit of the projecting mainbody comprises a first wireless communication module, the transmittingunit of the signal connector comprises a second wireless communicationmodule for communicating with the first wireless communication module.8. The mini-projector according to claim 7, wherein the first wirelesscommunication module and the second wireless communication module areBluetooth modules, near field communication (NFC) modules or ultrawideband (UWB) communication modules.
 9. The mini-projector according toclaim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile device.
 10. Themini-projector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting unit of thesignal connector comprises a high-definition multimedia interface(HDMI), a digital visual interface (DVI), a VGA interface, aD-subminiature (D-sub), a S-terminal, a RCA terminal, a 3RCA terminal,or an optical fiber interface.
 11. The mini-projector according to claim1, further comprising: a communication line, connecting to theconnecting unit of the signal connector and the electronic device. 12.The mini-projector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting unit ofthe signal connector comprises a first wireless communication module,the electronic device comprises a second wireless communication modulefor communicating with the first wireless communication module.
 13. Themini-projector according to claim 12, wherein the first wirelesscommunication module and the second wireless communication module areBluetooth modules, near field communication (NFC) modules or ultrawideband (UWB) communication modules.
 14. The mini-projector accordingto claim 1, wherein the signal connector further comprises anaudio-video decoder, and the connecting unit comprises a memory socketused for connecting with a memory card, so that the audio-video decoderreads an audio-video data in the memory card to generate an audio-videosignal.
 15. A detachable signal connector applied in a mini-projector,comprising: a first video format interface, for receiving a first videoformat signal from an electronic device; a transforming unit,electrically connecting to the first video format interface and fortransforming the first video format signal to a second video formatsignal; and a second video format interface, electrically connected tothe transforming unit for outputting the second video format signal to aprojecting main body of the mini-projector.
 16. The signal connectoraccording to claim 15, wherein the projecting main body of themini-projector comprises a socket, the second video format interface ofthe signal connector comprises a plug, and the projecting main body andthe signal connector are electrically connected via the combination ofthe socket and the plug.
 17. The signal connector according to claim 15,wherein the second video format interface of the signal connectorcomprises a socket, the projecting main body of the mini-projectorcomprises a plug, and the projecting main body and the signal connectorare electrically connected via the combination of the socket and theplug.
 18. The signal connector according to claim 15, furthercomprising: a communication line, connecting the projecting main body ofthe mini-projector and the second video format interface of the signalconnector.
 19. The signal connector according to claim 15, wherein theprojecting main body of the mini-projector comprises a first wirelesscommunication module, the second video format interface of the signalconnector comprises a second wireless communication module forcommunicating with the first wireless communication module.
 20. Thesignal connector according to claim 19, wherein the first wirelesscommunication module and the second wireless communication module areBluetooth modules, near field communication (NFC) modules or ultrawideband (UWB) communication modules.
 21. The signal connector accordingto claim 15, wherein the first video format interface of the signalconnector comprises a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), adigital visual interface (DVI), a VGA interface, a D-subminiature(D-sub), a S-terminal, a RCA terminal, a 3RCA terminal, or an opticalfiber interface.
 22. The signal connector according to claim 21, furthercomprising: a communication line, connecting to the first video formatinterface of the signal connector and the electronic device.
 23. Thesignal connector according to claim 15, wherein the first video formatinterface of the signal connector comprises a first wirelesscommunication module, the electronic device comprises a second wirelesscommunication module for communicating with the first wirelesscommunication module.
 24. The signal connector according to claim 23,wherein the first wireless communication module and the second wirelesscommunication module are Bluetooth modules, near field communication(NFC) modules or ultra wideband (UWB) communication modules.
 25. Thesignal connector according to claim 15, wherein the signal connectorfurther comprises an audio-video decoder, and the connecting unitcomprises a memory socket used for connecting with a memory card, sothat the audio-video decoder reads an audio-video data in the memorycard to generate an audio-video signal.